Stanford startup has got the funding to develop space software
Ever since man went into orbit, he has been trying to influence processes not only on Earth, but also in space. The developers from California have succeeded. Their startup got an investment from LeoLabs. The basis of the project is to regulate the motion of objects in the orbit of our planet to prevent collisions.
The new development uses special software to monitor movement outside the Earth. This is important for the operation of satellites, whose integrity can be compromised by collisions with space debris and other objects. The idea of scientists was appreciated, the company LeoLabs has already invested 19 million dollars in the software.
For ordinary people this problem seems insignificant, but for specialists in the field cluttering space and the movement of objects there is more relevant than ever. In total, there are about 2 thousand active satellites in orbit, and about 2800 are not functioning.
Recently, a well-known organization The Aerospace Corporation has conducted a study, according to which by 2030 there will be more than 20 thousand satellites in space. This number increases the risk of satellites colliding with each other and garbage, which can lead to disruption of processes on Earth and will cost companies huge money.
Thanks to an innovative start-up, LeoLabs believes that it is possible to significantly influence the movement of objects and avoid a large percentage of accidents. Developers are actively testing their system. The other day, they launched a new radar station, which is located in New Zealand. This is the third such location that will monitor traffic in space. And the software captures even small objects, 2 cm in size.
Scientists have been developing this software since 2016. All research is conducted on the basis of Stanford University, in its subsidiary organization. LeoLabs became interested in the startup after the number of requests from satellite operators began to grow. They asked for help in locating objects in orbit.
Now, by bringing together the forces of scientists and LeoLabs, it will be possible to create a functional tool for tracking satellites and their movements.
This project is not the only one dealing with this problem. But unlike government developments, it is much more efficient and cheaper. Standard LeoTrack software is used for information transfer, but it is also possible to order personal software to meet the needs of companies. Users of the new development will be satellite operators, government organizations and other companies that are interested in the well-established operation of space objects.
Over time, developers want to expand the products of the startup to be useful to a large number of people.